Lift Ground Test 2

Test Summary
In this test I am working to solve the problem that I am having with the lift ground not entirely coming off the plate. I am still using the Edinburgh mixture however I am not going to heat the lift ground from 45 minutes as Megan did in the previous test. Instead I am allowing the plate to air dry the majority of the time and only using the hotplate for 10 minutes.

Plate PreparationInitially I scrubbed the copper plate with Bon Ami twice. I degreased with soy sauce that was rubbed onto the copper plate using a piece of rolled felt, rinsed and then dried with a clean rag and blow dryer. The degreasing was done two times and then I allowed the plate to sit overnight. The Edinburgh mixture is 3 teaspoons of Windsor Newton artist masking fluid, 5 eraser tips of gouache, and half a teaspoon of warm water. I am using a lift ground mix that I created the week before. I painted the lift ground unto the copper plate for 30 minutes using a variety of different diameter brushes. I allowed the plate to air dry for 30 minutes and placed it on a hot-plate set at 150° for 10 minutes. The Z-Acryl hard-ground emulsion was poured across the copper plate and caught in a water tray. I stood the plate up vertically and allowed it to air dry for 5 minutes. The copper plate was placed in the hotbox for 30 minutes to harden the Z-Acryl. After the hardening the copper plate was placed in a bath of hot tap water. I rubbed at the ground for 10 minutes with gloved hands but could not get all the lift ground removed. Aquatint was applied in five passes to the plate with a Paashce airbrush set at it’s finest setting. The aquatint was air dried for 5 minutes and placed in the hotbox for 20 minutes.

Application of Edinburgh mixture

Etching Notes
The plate was etched in a vertical etching tank of Ferric Chloride at 38° Baume.

Timed Application of Mordant
10 Minutes

Removal of Grounds
The grounds were removed using a stripper bath of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda and water (100 grams/1 liter). I encountered a substantial amount of oxidation and even a ghost image of where I originally painted the Edinburgh lift.

After Bath Evaluation
I found some spots of the Edinburgh lift still stuck to the plate even after the etch.

Elena’s Etched Plate

Inking Methods
The plates were inked with unmodified Graphic Chemical & Ink Co. Bone Black Etching Ink #514. The ink was carded onto the copper plate with mat board scraps and wiped with used tarlatan. During the first wipe the ink stuck in spots where the Edinburgh lift remained. The second wipe was smoother possibly because the first proof pulled the lift off the plate.